致用商务英语阅读programme sevn Enquiry.ppt

Passage Two How to Make a Good Enquiry? Q 1 Have you ever made an enquiry? If you have, how was it? Q 2What to be paid attention to if you want to make a good inquiry? As a request for a quotation, an enquiry is an unavoidable stage in the sourcing work flow. A good enquiry should provide sufficient information for buyers to quote efficiently and accurately. It can also build up initial understanding between buyers and sellers so as to give impetus to the succeeding procedures like quotations, further contact and transactions. What would then make a good enquiry? The following are some items of information I suggest buyers should include in their enquiries: Brief introduction of the buyer and background of the enquiry A brief introduction of the buyer will give the seller an idea of who they will be quoting to. Chinese suppliers usually receive enquiries by fax or email with an individual’s name and a company name, but no company information. Such enquiries can easily be ignored because the sellers are uncertain whether the enquiry is from a competitor or from a fake company. Providing more background information on the buyer and the enquiry will help the seller understand where the products in question will be used and judge if their products are suitable. Product names All buyers know that they must include product names in their enquiries, but sometimes they just put the abbreviation or just a “byname”, which are all difficult to understand for sellers who speak a different language. One should never underestimate the language barrier, and the most standard product names should always be used. Or, if unsure, all the possible names should be included. Quantity Sellers need quantity information of potential orders to know if their manufacturing capacity can meet the demand and to determine what price they will be able to offer. Quantity information should be combined with order frequency. Common questions can include the following: Is it